Look, I don’t want you to think I’m easy or anything. “Old Betsy Bird,” you’d say. “She’ll post pretty much any kind of video on her site”. Not true, sez I! I just like what I like. And what I like is process. Getting into the heads of the creators of some of my favorite […]

A new Molly Idle book is naturally a cause for some celebration. All the better if it happens to involve something awesome. Something like . . . mermaids. When Ms. Idle gets her hands on a mythical creature, however, you simply want to see more of them. Unicorns! Griffins (with her love of birds she’d […]

I have this terrible habit of too-early enthusiasm. I frequently tell myself that reviewing a book too early is a bad thing. It invites the reading public to forget about the book before its publication date, after all. But there are times when a book is so good that I just can’t contain myself. Such […]

Nothing Stopped Sophie: The Story of Unshakable Mathematician Sophie Germain By Cheryl Bardoe Illustrated by Barbara McClintock Little, Brown and Co. $17.99 ISBN: 978-0316278201 On shelves June 12th I think we’ve done it. I think we’ve finally moved completely into a new era of biographical picture books. High time, says I! Gone are the days […]

I’m Just No Good at Rhyming: And Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups By Chris Harris Illustrated by Lane Smith Little, Brown and Company $19.99 ISBN: 978-0-316-26657-4 Ages 7 and up On shelves now What exactly constitutes a celebrity children’s book these days? See, it all used to be so simple when it […]

Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat By Javaka Steptoe Little, Brown & Co. $17.99 ISBN: 978-0-316-21388-2 Ages 5 and up On shelves October 25th True Story: I’m working the children’s reference desk of the Children’s Room at 42nd Street of New York Public Library a couple years ago and a family walks […]

The Wild Robot By Peter Brown Little, Brown & Company $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-316-38199-4 Ages 9-12 On shelves now There are far fewer robot middle grade books out there than you might expect. This is probably because, as a general rule, robots fall into the Data from Star Trek trap. Their sole purpose in any narrative […]

In this day and age it is prudent of the self-sufficient blogger to warn readers when they may encounter something that will affect the rest of their day, nay, week. And so I say unto you, BEWARE! Be Wary! For in today’s book trailer premiere video for Sing and Dance in Your Polka-Dot Pants (words […]

Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear By Lindsay Mattick Illustrated by Sophie Blackall $18.00 ISBN: 978-0-316-32490-8 Ages 4-7 On shelves October 20th What is it with bears and WWI? Aw, heck. Let’s expand that question a tad. What is it with adorable animals and WWI? Seems these days no matter […]

I’m a sucker for a good time travel story. By my count only a few have ever won the Newbery (is it two or three? You decide). Fewer still have won the National Book Award in the youth category. Even so, they live in a special place in my heart. So to hear that a […]

As librarian previews go, Little, Brown’s remain the gold standard. The food, the guests, the layout, the everything. It is the rare preview that leaves you feeling more relaxed that when you entered. Yet such is the case whenever Victoria Stapleton don’s her latest pair of delightful shoes (shown below). And then the editorial stars […]

*sniff sniff* Smell that? That’s the smell of Fall 2014, my friends. Yes yes, I know you thought we’ve only just turned the corner into spring, but we’ve no time for that now. The future is where it’s at, babies! And right now the future is all about the fall/winter/spring books. Such was my thinking […]

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild By Peter Brown Little, Brown and Company $18.00 ISBN: 978-0-316-20063-9 Ages 3-7 On shelves now. Here’s a fun exercise to liven up a gloomy day. Find yourself a copy of the picture book Mr. Tiger Goes Wild. Now turn to the publication page. It’s the green one opposite the title page at […]

Let’s try something a little different this time around. My usual previews contain all kinds of fun details, and certainly the Little Brown previews are the cream of the publishing crop. I’m talking Yale Club. I’m talking white tablecloths. I’m talking little sandwiches with salmon and capers inside. But before I get to anything else, […]

The Dark By Lemony Snicket Illustrated by Jon Klassen Little Brown & Co. $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-316-18748-0 Ages 4-8 On shelves April 2nd You do not know the temptation I am fighting right now to begin this review with some grandiose statement equating a fear of the dark with a fear of death itself. You have […]

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About A Fuse #8 Production

Features everything from librarian previews of upcoming children's books to news, reviews, and videos. If it has something to do with children's literature, it will rate a mention here.

Betsy Bird is the Youth Materials Specialist of New York Public Library. She's reviewed for The New York Times and Kirkus, writes articles for Horn Book and SLJ, and wrote the picture book Giant Dance Party. You can contact her at Fusenumber8@gmail.com or follow her on . . .